


Cottagecore

by VasaliaTheWise



Category: Actor RPF, Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018) Actor RPF, British Actor RPF
Genre: Birds, Comfort, Cute, Cute Couples, Cutesy, Day At The Beach, Duck Feeding, Ducks, England (Country), English Countryside, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Healthy Relationships, Holidays, Hurt/Comfort, Relaxation, Summer Vacation, The Author Regrets Nothing, Vacation, Watching the Sunrise, Welsh Countryside, cottage, cottage life, domestic blis, girl friendships, happiness, supportive boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:14:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25001485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VasaliaTheWise/pseuds/VasaliaTheWise
Summary: You're about to try for your dream job and you are stressed about it, so your boyfriend, Gwil, suggests a summer holiday trip to get you to relax about it. This is my gift for dear ItsametaphorGwil. I hope you like it!
Relationships: Gwilym Lee/Reader, Gwilym Lee/You
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4
Collections: Bohemian Rhapsody Cast Summer 2020Event





	Cottagecore

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ItsametaphorGwil](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsametaphorGwil/gifts).



“Y/N, if you would like this position, here are the things you need to work on for the next month. Then we might give you this offer,” the woman stated.  
You nodded your head enthusiastically. Every word was put into your brain in the strongest part of storage. Your dream job was imminent. The people you have admired for ages were pushing you on. Every dollar spent, every hour clocked in, and every bit of training and studying and student debt was about to be worth it.  
“We’ll try you out and interview at this point on the fifteenth of next month, sounds good?” she folded her arms in her black pantsuit, slightly serious.  
A Pollyanna smile grew on you.  
“Of course! I will!”  
You wound up practicing and trying every free hour you had for this job. Cups of coffee devoured. Then water to make up for coffee. Then constant bathroom breaks. Words in front of you seemed fuzzy. But you kept at it.  
Even when your boyfriend, Gwilym was around, it was all you could talk or think about.   
“Hey Y/N…let’s escape,” he suggested. “There’s a place…it’s out in the country!”  
“I don’t know…” you sighed.  
“It will be fun!” he begged, taking your hand.  
With a huff, you nod.  
“Where is it?”  
“Pembroke-near some family.”  
Pembroke! Grassy fields, a nearby ocean…  
And two whole weeks without work!   
He led you into the cottage excitedly. Then his smile dropped briefly as he saw you pull out your laptop from its bag on the kitchen table.  
“Annwyl, did you bring anything related to your job with you?” he asked sternly.  
The laptop clicked shut and you let out a sigh.  
“Yes, it’s just that…I’m really afraid of failing!” you cried. “It’s just…I’ve been…been afraid to relax. I’m just so close to my dreams coming true, and I’ve been struggling and hustling just to get the opportunity…I feel like if I let go…it will slip away from me.” Tears came out before you could stop them.  
He hugged you. You could hear the rustling of trees.  
“Then promise me this…every day you do one hour- and only one hour- of work and the rest of the day, you try to breathe.”  
You nodded, “of course.”  
“Oh, Y/N, I completely understand but...my Y/N, you’ve seemed so…it isn’t going to go away if you enjoy yourself for a bit.”  
He kissed the top of your head tenderly.  
Settling into the cottage, the sunlight poured in from everywhere. Dust specks flitted around in circles as if they were dancing. You only flicked the lights on when it got dark.  
Both of you had to see the garden around the house. There were more roses, lilacs, and peonies than you could count, and plenty of green sprouts, not even Gwilym could name.   
Soon you were walking down to the markets, drinking cold lemonades, and buying a large basket of strawberries in their prime: large, red, and juicy, almost like candy to devour.  
The next morning, you felt him shake you awake.  
“Cariad…look out the window…” he said softly, kissing your temple.  
The sun was rising and the whole world was baked in sweet, pink light. The sunlight was melting over the fields, making it glow.  
“Are we in a fairy tale?” you asked.  
You could sense the sleepiness in your voice and you felt two arms pull you close, so your back touched his chest. You heard the slight rumble of his laughter.  
“No, we’re in Pembrokeshire, but close.”   
There was a ten-minute stroll to town, the passing herd of sheep or a goat enjoying its breakfast of dandelions. The town was tiny- the houses still had vines, dates from the 1600s in the upper corner and every nook had little shops and businesses and whatnot. People walked by, from children on bicycles to grandmothers ushering in guests for tea.  
Nearby there was a stone bridge. A river babbled beneath it and across you could make out taller buildings, some painted a gaudy yellow or a musty red.   
But something about the rust on the bridge’s sides made it feel surreal, ancient. Every step you took you held your breath because it might collapse and fall. It never did.  
On your third day there you noticed there was a gaggle of little ducks, clucking nasally as they glided across the water’s edge.  
“Look!” you cried, pointing to them.  
Gwil leaned his brown head over in your direction. “Why, look at these little fellows!”  
Normally at this time, as soon as your walk with Gwil was over, you took to your work: editing your resume, cover letter, and other items online and practicing and curating what the try-out would consist of.  
But today was different. You felt tired at the thought of that hour approaching. You wanted to take your time.  
“Should we get bread for crumbs?” you asked.  
“Not bread, that will make them sick…”  
Gwil ran up to a plant shop and got them seeds, you both took turns tossing it to them. Laughing at the way they shook their beaks as they ate. Soon a mother waded forward with a trail of ducklings behind her- all peeping in high little voices and in a line so straight it seemed mechanical.  
He opened the bag and released the seeds into his palm. Their graininess against the softness of his skin. Reaching in for a bit, you could smell the earth it came from.  
He walked closer over the edge of the bridge. His reflection looking back up at him from the blue of the water A few ducks hovered toward the mirror Gwil, quacking in curiosity.  
He let a few seeds fall with a plop into the water.  
They nibbled graciously. As they chewed with their beaks open, a pretty, little white duck passed by, sniffing for morsels as well.   
Grinning, you obliged, letting a few seeds fall from your fingertips. They landed, creating ripples that went to the edges, growing fainter. But the white duck wagged its tail as if it were a canine and devoured the seeds.  
“How would you like a beach day, tomorrow?” he asked. “It’s only an hour's drive.”  
“Is that even a question?” you replied, giving him a chaste kiss.  
The hour drive long drive seemed to take forever with no beachy signals except for the smell. Until a road that went downhill showed the yellow sand right where it dipped down- flowing out of the grass until soon it replaced the fields as you drove onto it and parked.  
The sand dissolved between your toes; the breeze was cool against your legs. Only a few people came and went as the day was slightly overcast.  
“Yes! Let’s swim, Y/N!” your boyfriend cheered, leaping out of the car.  
Gwil ran childishly toward the ocean in his swim trunks and you in your red one-piece, pulling you with him. Though you shrieked at the icy water, it soon seemed normal and refreshing to feel around your calves.  
Both of you splashed at each other and got deep enough to swim. Often bending down to pick up interesting little seashells and collect them in a glass jar.  
Suddenly Gwil turned his head, let out a slight swear, and covered your eyes with his hands.  
“Oh, Y/N, I’m glad you said yes today…” he teased, walking against you so you had to walk forward.  
“What! How come? What are you up to?” you asked.  
“We have some guests!” he announced.  
“Are you really going to let us have all the fun?” a sweet voice asked in front of you.  
He pulled his hands away and you let out a squeal. You knew that blonde bob and pair of bright eyes anywhere.  
“Lucy! Lucy, what are you doing here!”  
“Rami’s filming and Gwil had told us you guys were vacationing. Might as well go over and say hello!”  
Salt caught into your hair to where you smelt in all day. You missed the scent of the ocean and the sound of its lulling, but hearing Rami and Lucy catch up as Gwil drove back made up for it.  
“Oh- we got two local Cabernet bottles to try…would you stay for a drink?” Gwil offered, pulling up near the cottage.  
That night, the wine overtook you both, Lucy especially.  
“It’s cold! Let’s go in the room!” Lucy insisted, as red as the strawberries in the fridge.  
She went over to an extra guest room in the cottage- it was smaller with white walls, a few paintings, and a tiny window. But the bed was so large it took up half the space.  
Ooooh! It’s soft!” she cooed as she settled on it.  
Both of you pulled the duvet over the two of you and began talking softly. You heard Rami and Gwil catching up downstairs with talk of directors and long days of filming.  
“Hmmph, do you think this shirt shows too much of my titties?” you asked.   
Laying down in the bed had pulled the edge of your shirt down and you began to stubbornly pull it u.  
Lucy began giggling like mad. She pulled the duvet over her head into a large lump.  
“What is it?” you asked.  
She poked her face out with an elfish gleam in her eye.  
“Titties!”  
You both began to giggle profusely. There are creaks upstairs as Rami and Gwil walk in, bemused at the two of you. Lucy and you pulled blankets up over your mouths to stop.  
“You alright? You both had a lot…” Gwil began, walking closer to see your faces.  
“We’re fine, it’s just…” you began.  
“It’s about…about titties!” she blurted.  
You both burst out howling.  
Rami and Gwil looked at each other, beaming despite Lucy’s tipsiness. They ran downstairs and returned with a small plate of cheese, crackers, and apple slices.  
“We’ll leave you ladies be,” Rami promised.  
He put it on Lucy’s lap. She grinned and gave him a smooch as thanks.   
Gwil stood by the door, watching you take a bit of a red apple slice.  
“Just have something on your stomachs,” he added before Rami returned to shut the door.  
Lucy and you giggling over snacks were the memory you kept inside you. That and the beach, the ducks, the berries, as you and Gwil crossed the corner where the fateful building stood.  
A month had gone since this was planned and the day you expected and dreaded had arrived. You whisper the right words and picture it. And none of it is forgotten- a muscle memory.  
“Darling…thank you for the trip. No matter what comes to it-I needed to enjoy things and not let it all get to me,” you say, pausing before the door.  
He cups your face, “you always put your heart and soul into things…and I love you for it.”  
As Gwil walks with you to the building, saying he will wait outside. He kisses you on your forehead, leaving a subtle, shiny mark there as you walk in.


End file.
